Cat Association Threatens to Pull Convention from Providence

Rhode Island state veterinarian Scott Marshall is defending the actions of his law enforcement officers at a pet show in Providence this past weekend. Some cat owners were angry when environmental police demanded health and rabies certificates.

In fact the president of the International Cat Association was so upset she’s threatening to move the group’s annual convention out of Providence.

But Marshall says the show was warned in advance that health documents would be required and that his officers showed “great restraint.” "We simply enforced regulations that we told them that we were going to enforce. It wasn’t a surprise spot check. They had plenty of advanced warning and I think we showed extreme restraint because we didn’t issue any citations as we had the authority to do."

Marshall says the dog owners at the pet show were much more cooperative.

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